Seal of approval for mail firm’s security

TWO Southport men are putting their stamp on international security at the height of the latest mail terror alert.

Since the beginning of this week, police have been urging companies, organisations and individuals to be careful when handling mail and alert them to suspicious packages.

Yesterday George Halsall and Mark Bigley of Secured Mail, which is based in Aintree, appeared on Sky News and Channel 5 to explain the importance of their business at times such as these.

Secured Mail was established in the UK in early 2003 and was one of the first companies in the UK to be granted a full seven-year licence to handle bulk mail including most kinds of transactional mail such as bills and statements and direct mail.

Mark told the Visiter: “With the spate of letter bombs circulating across the UK, Sky News and Channel 5 asked us what mechanisms we had in place and we were happy to welcome the crew onto the shop floor.

“If a package comes into the building which we feel is suspect, that would then be placed in the bomb bin. We would then contact the police or the bomb disposal unit.”

Secured Mail, which deals with more than 250,000 packages a day, operates both nationally and internationally with the help of their fully trained staff.

Mark added: “If people are worried or want to find out more, we will be more than happy to speak to them.”

The full extent of the letter bombing campaign has become clear as police revealed details of seven linked attacks in the last three weeks.

Homemade pyrotechnic-style bombs in A5 jiffy bags have been posted to seven different businesses across Britain since January 18 - six of which supply services or technology to law enforcement agencies.